Illuminated directory



June 17, 1952 EBERWElN 2,601,106

ILLUMINATED DIRECTORY Filed May 23, 194'? 7 +a J' WI [9 I8 18 I I L. BERWEIN 0 Inventor Leonard R Eberwein WWW Em Patented June 17, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in a name directory which is adapted for use in connection with private homes and dwellings but is particularly suitable for use in apartments and buildings having separate quarters for two or more different families or occupants.

More specifically, the invention has to do with a name plate which is either interiorly or exteriorly attachable to a building wall or other relatively stationary support, which is provided with a suitably paneled window, is further provided with a lamp box having name plates therein, and, in addition, is provided with push-buttons located in orderly fashion for purposes of systematically sounding door bells or chimes, for obvious reasons.

In carrying out the principles of the invention I have evolved and produced a simple and practical window equipped panel and illuminated lamp box serving as the directory proper the holders for the name plates or cards in the lamp box being arranged in a systematic manner and the door bell buttons being coordinated and arranged in a predetermined order in relation to the name plates, whereby to enable the caller to the premises to readily locate the person sought and to therefore enable the caller to ring the bell of the chosen occupant and to then put the occupant on notice that he has a caller.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanyin illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a lamp box-type directory constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an edge view with portions broken away and shown in section;

Figure 3 is a transverse or cross sectional view taken on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference numerals it will be seen that the panel or main plate is denoted by the numeral 5, this being of appropriate material and shape. It may be suitably ornamented to render it appropriate for use in the stated field. It is provided centrally with a sight opening 6 and at corner portions with appropriately arranged holes I to accommodate suitable fastenings for securing said plate to a post, door, door-frame, wall or wherever becomes convenient, as the case may be.

Upper and lower bolt and nut assemblies 8 and 9 serve to retain in place a transparency [0, in the form of a rectangular panel which constitutes a window for saidsight opening 6. These bolts also connect with marginal attaching flanges I I and I2 forming portions of a lamp box l3. This lamp box is substantially rectangular and is greater in marginal area than the paneled window. It will be noted, in this connection, that the lamp box is provided with a socket I4 having a terminal M to accommodate a currentconducting wire (not shown) and the socket is arranged to support a relatively small incandescent bulb l5 which projects into the illuminated space 15 of the box. The rear wall of the box is inclined, as at IT, and is provided on its interior with a plurality of keeper clips I8 which serve to accommodate name cards or plates I9, as shown in Figure 1. These clips and plates are in a predetermined order in order to cooperate with correspondingly arranged push-buttons. I have shown four clips and name plates and also have shown four push-buttons which may be identified as 20, 2|, 22 and 23. Each button comprises an appropriate frame 24 and a push-button proper 25. These push-buttons are old in the trade and I make no claim to same, and, in practice, they are provided with binding posts 26 as shown in Figure 2 to accommodate wires which form parts of door bell systems, or door bell chimes, as the case may be.

By arranging the push-buttons around the perimeter of the window and systematizing the positions in coordination with the name plates, it is obvious that the overall efiiciency of the device is improved.

When installing, the box-type unit I3 of the directory fits back into the wall while the outer front plate fits flush against the wall. Screws I are used to fasten the directory and small holes are provided therefor around the edge of the outer or front plate.

It will be observed that this is a complete new purpose type directory. The tilted back with provisions for name cards, together with the enclosed lighting is provided for easy reading of the directory at all times and especially in the evening and after dark. It is especially fitted for use after dark and for installation on the outside of a residence or apartment.

The electric light is now in use but the invention provides a method of enclosing the light unit together with the name cards within a small neat appearing unit resulting in a new and useful method of displaying the names of occupants of residences, apartments, or other places of dwelling. There is a great public need for this device especially for one-family residence buildings as well as residence buildings which have been converted into apartments of two or more units. It will and does provide a convenient means for callers to quickly locate an occupant of such an apartment and a method of informing the occupant that he has a caller without disturbing other occupants of the apartment since in apartments of this type the usual entrance hall is missing and occupants either enter by separate entrances from the outside or by ging through a part of some other occupants quarters.

It is then observed that this directory, is designed for installation on either the inside or outside of a dwelling building.

The directory may be constructed of plastics, metal or Bakelite materials, and/or other-material. The slide transparent front of the lighted unit may be made of glass or transparent plastic or other transparentmaterial. All other parts may be constructed with the use of any suitable material or equipment.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings Will-enable the reader to obtain aclear understanding and impression of" the alleged features of merit and novelty suffioi'ent'to clarify the construction of the invention ashereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice solong as no departure is made from the invention as claimed.

Having described theinvention, what is claimed as new is:

1'. An illuminable directory and occupant signaling device for use in apartment houses and the like comprising an illuminable lamp box of I general rectangular form embodying a fiat forwandly and" downwardly slanting'rectangular wall provided with a marginal rim, the components ofsaid rim having outstanding attaching flanges, a plurality of name plateclips arranged in. predetermined and. systematic order and fixedly mounted" on the display side of! said wall, a source. of iluminationmounted'in said lamp box for coaction with said clips, a transparency functioning as a window for the open side of said box, a flat rectangular plate, said plate being provided with a central sight opening, said plate and transparency being fitted together and fitted against said flanges, fastenings passin through the plate, transparency and flanges, said plate being of a length greater than the length of said transparency and having end portions projecting well beyond the corresponding endportions of said transparency and said end portions being provided with holes to accommodate suitable fastenings for securing the plate to a fixed support, said end portions being further provided with openings adapted to accommodate insertable and removable individual occupant signaling push buttons, said openings being systematically arranged and lined up with predetermined name plate clips, whereby each clip has an aligned opening for accommodation and retention of a complemental push button.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said source of illumination is mounted in a prescribed central portion of the upper part of saicl rim on aplane above the upper marginal edge of said sight opening in a manner to provide suflicient illumination for the box and: clips while, at the same time, concealing said source of illumination behind the coacting upper portion of saidrectangular plate.

LEONARD R. EBE-RWEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATESv PATENTS Number Name Date 946,446 Leuthesser Jan. 11, 1910 1,283,806- Kreger Nov. 4, 1918 1,289,982 Webber Dec. 31, 19.18 1,591,451 Whitcomb July 6, 1926 1,726,250 Taylor Aug. 27, 1929 1,792,517 Storms Feb. 17, 1931 1,851,145 Auth Mar. 29; 1932 2,128,679 Kielian Aug. 30, 1938 2,211,015 Kay Aug. 13, 1940 2,219,257 Henry Oct. 22, 1940 

